Cushioned shoe heel



March 6, 1945. W` E. STOLJT 2,370,889

CUSHIONED SHOE Filed April 11 1944 0 L' INVENToR:

Patented Mar. 6, 1945 UNITED STATES' PATENT ,-o'F1;lgcE-fg i i 42,3%),839 V i* s cUsnroNEn siron'minr.

n William Elbert `Stout;Baltimore, Md. ,Application April .11, 1944, serial No. `53o,49'5 '1 I' rgive greater durability than an` .ordinary 'rubber heel, but which at the same time'will give a much 'greater .cushioning eiiect.

Still another object-of the invention is to pro- 'videa `cushioned heel comprising a top lift formed of rubber of certain degrees of hardness and resiiiency, such asused -in ordinary rubber vshoe heels, anda bottomlift formed of a softer and more highlyresilient rubber, such as 'sponge rubher, said lifts being'unitedto .form a unitary heel 'in such manner `as to prevent casual separation thereof and .so 4as :to secure flexing and cushioning `actions Aof novel v'character and to vdegrees :auch beyond 'such qualities possessed' by ordi'- nary rubber heels. i

Still anotherfobiect of the invention is to provide a cushioned heel whichv is of detachable type,

allowing a Worn out heelto be readily removed and a new one applied in its pl'ace,-and which when applied Will not mar or detract-from the appearance ofthe shoe and will be yfirmly secured `against possibility of casual disconnection lor 4of becoming loose from the shoe.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a construction 'adapting the heel to be firmly :glued as well as mechanically `fastened to Vthe shoe and v'the'lifts tob'e similarly united so as kto secure stability of construction as Well as to seal all joints .against the entrance of moisture and other `foreign substances. With these and otherobjects in` view, .the invention consists .of the .novel features .of con'- struction, .combination and arrangement 'of parts hereinafter fullyv described Aand claimed, .and as shown in the ,accompanying-drawing inwhich': Figure rl isa side elevation of the rearportion of a shoe, showing my improved cushioned he applied thereto.

Figure 2 is a bottom plan view of the same. Figure 3 is .alongitudinal section on the line 3 3 `of Figure dthrough the heel portion of the shoe sole and the `cushioned heel. l

Figure 9 is a `cross section through-the portion of the-shoesole andthev cushioned heel n applied thereto as showninFigureG, AFigure l0 is a vPerspective view of the reinfor ing and attaching plate. v g l Figures .1l `and 12 are diagrammaticjviews, illustrating aiitting and. joint sealing( effe btained by a feature `of constructi-cn. V ;-y fi l'teierringl now. more particularly to ythe ldrawiing, I designates the heel portionan-d 2 shank portion, of .the..sole ofa shoeof .anyordinary .type or construction, and` 3 .designates as a, whole my improved cushioned heel for attachment,- @to .the :heelportion ,l ofI the 4shoe sole. The heel portionv fl, as shown, may have the .usual` general outline .shape of a horseshoe anditsouter sure lface V4 :maybe 'or usual form1r that is, lslightly convexboth longitudinally and transversely. fr TheheellS, whichis of the same lgeneral outline -or peripheral `shape as the heel gporti'onfl, comprises an outer or tread section Sand anfn ner or cushioningpad :section B. These-,sections may beof the same .or different relativethi'ck'- nesses or. depthspaccording Ito the degree. vof 'I tion 6, however, is vinitiallygof an externaly c'o'i'i- -tour slightly different-from that of the sectionf' -and is compressed into va shape corresponding thereto when `applied tothe shoey'as and for the purpose hereinafter described, andit istoibefundei-stood that these sections may cooperatively jvary in .external .formas maybe desired or jrelquired in 'the production of d iiferentk types f or A shapes .of heels. The 'heel shown for purposefof exempliiication is one designed foruse on amanfs Walking shoe of lcoriventicinal type, andl 'its'shape .may be varied in adapting. itior, applicationfto womens shoes or shoes designed to curie orjcor "rect foot defects or to serve .other 'special plurposesj I do not limit the invention .inthisf.. 1 ;e

spect or in any other respect,lex'cep t as and when specifically defined in the `appended claims.v

-H The tread section 5 is :formed of comparatively hard rubber'having a certain degree' of ,resiliency edges' of the plate.

2 and may conform in this respect to an ordinary rubber heel formed of rubber of such consistency as to be wear resisting and of suicient resilience to give a certain degree of cushioning action and to vallow particular bending or flexing movements of the sole` as a whole. The section 6, however, is formed of a relatively softer rubber of higher resiliency, such as spongey rubber, which vyieldingly backs the section 4 and provides a 'cushion which absorbs the shocks and jars to whichxthe heel is subjected in service and allows desired bending or flexing movements of fastening the sections 5 and 6 together comthe heel as a whole to be obtained. In practice; the tread face of the section 5 may be formed or provided with any kind or shape of gripping means for gripping engagement with the ground Y, l

to effectually prevent slippage.

The opposed contacting faces' and 8 of the l sections 5 and 6, to wit, the inner face of the sec- 1 tion 5 and the outer face of the section 6, may be plain surfaced or otherwise formed torlie in close contact. The surface 1 of the section 5is,

prises looped thong strips 24, and 26 which are passed at their bight portions through links I21 engaged with the keeper loops or eyes and have their limbs depending therefrom and extending in parallel relation 'into and through the openings I9, 22 and 23 to the wear surface of 'the Section5. The links of each of these looped thongs snugly fit the opening in which they are arranged and they-are secured to the heel section 5 by( fastening pins 28 firmly held in said heel section. 4In applying the thongs to the heel the thongs are drawn tightly and Ifastened by thepins to hold the sections 5 and 6 firmly bound together and they are cut off flush with the wear face of the section 5 s o that the end edges thereof however, preferably slightly concaved to form a `seat for the face 8 of the section 6 which tends to hold the sections 5 and 6 from relative lateral and longitudinal shifting or creeping movements.

`To positively hold the sections from such movements and to-permit of the use of exible hold- `ing connections between the same, a coating-or layer of waterproof glue or cement may be employed'to bind them together and'to close the joints at the margins thereof against the 'access Sof moisture vand other foreign substances.

' The section 6 is provided with a concaved inner face I0 4which ts against the convex surface 4 o'f the heel portion I of the shoe sole.- Disposed in the cavity or recess formed by this face IU is a `reinforcing and attaching plate II formed of metal, plastic material or other suitable material.

This plat is generally shaped to conform ex- `ternally to the external-shape of the section 6, but is of less superficial dimensions, longitudinally and transversely, than the face I0, and has its front,"'rear and side edges lying' inwardly Aof and spaced from the corresponding edges of the section 6, leaving exposed a marginal portion I2 of the face'IIl bounding and extending beyond'the Theplate II is provided at its fronty and rear lwith centrally disposed, longitudinally extending tongues I3 and I4. The tongue I3 is of some length "and projects beyond the 'breast of the heel and is provided with an opening I5, while `the -tongue I4 is comparatively short and laps only toa certain extent over the margin I2 of l l the face I0. The tongue I3 is employed as oner of the elements for attaching the heel at lthe l front to the sole of the shoe, and the tongue I4 serves as a plate extension to reinforce the plate II and section 6 in the region of and to compensate for the removal'ofmetal from the plate to form a keeper opening I6 and locking tongue II ,constituting part of means for attaching the heel at the rear to the sole of the shoe. The tongue I1 is partially separated at its sides from l the plate by 'slits II' toallow the tongueto have 1 a'ee'rtain degree of spring action or resiliency.

and thus allow compression and expansion of the section B for maximum cushioning actions, while at the same time allowing portions of the heel to independently bend or flex and to bend o-rflex to diierent degrees and to therebyhave flexing and cushioning movements not possible with other cushioned heels. In some cases yflexible steel strips may be used in place of the rawhide thongs. e f

The means employed in connection with the plate II for fastening the heel to the shoe comprises a threaded stud or bolt'29 fixed to andl projecting from the shank 2 and a'staple or like keeper member 30 fixed to and projecting from the sole portion I. The stud 29 is adapted to be engaged withthe openingI5 in the tongue I3 and to receive a nut .or like fastener torforce the tongue I3 against the shank Zand hold the forward portion of the heel fastened thereto.

The keeper 30 is adaptedto receive the tonguev VI'I to hold the heel with a tight compression t peaks, making the width of the top of the section 6 somewhat lessthan the width of the surface 4. 'By thisv construction these peaked portions are adapted, when the heel is applied to the shoe, to be flattened "out so as tovmake the. surface I0 `conform to andjt closely against the surface 4 so as to placeythe applied heel as a whole somewhat under tension and obtain binding engagementA tol make the connection sure against 'I'hfeffree end of the tongue I'I is bent or coiled 'to form a keeper loop or eye I8 lying beneath the plate and above alined openings I9 in the `heel sections 5 and 6, and at its front corners the plate 1 .is provided with downward portions which are 'bentv or coiled to form similar keeper* loops or I -eyes 2h and 2l lying above openings 22 `and 23 in the heel sections 5 and 6.

any possibility of disconnection from the yshoe and proof against entrance of moisture or other foreign substance between the shoe and heel. Fig. 11 illustrates diagrammatically the relative shapes of the surfaces v4 and lf'prior to the'application of the heel, and Fig.y 12 illustrates the form the surface I0 takes when -the heel is fastened e the fastening connections under stress tothe sur'- ginsof the inner-section, anda series of tie-pele,- ments of flexible material attached at their inner ends to the rear portion andfront corner porvtions ofthe plate andv extending therefrom through the inner section .into and attached at their outer ends to the outer section. l '7. In a cushioned heelfor shoes, and in combination with the sole of a shoe having a heel portion, a cushioned heel adaptedto be attached tothe heel portion of the sole and comprising an outer section of comparatively hard rubber, an inner section of comparatively soft cushioning rubber having a surface to bear on the heel portion of the shoe sole,y fastening elements onthe shoe sole, fastening means including a stiiening member resting on said surface of the inner sec- .tion and provided with means to engage the fastening means on the shoe sole, and connecting elements extending between the heelsections and attached to the plate and outer heel section andy flexibly connecting the heel sections.

8.l In a cushionedheel for shoes, andin. combination with a shoevsole having Va heel portion, a cushioned heel adapted to beattached to the heel portion of the sole comprising-fan outer. sectionV of comparatively hard rubbergan inner section of comparatively soft cushioning rubber having a surface to bear on the heel portionv of the shoe sole, fastening elements on the shoe4 sole, fastening means including a stiffening member resting on raid surface ofthe inner section and provided with means to. engage., the fasteningv means on the shoe sole, and connecting elements -extending between the heel sections-and attached to the said member and to theouter heel section and flexibly connecting the heelsections together.

9. In a cushioned heel for shoes, andin combination with a shoe sole having a heel portion, a

i vcushionedheel adapted to be attached to the heel portion of the sole comprising an outer'section of comparatively hard rubber, an inner section of 1 comparatively soft cushioning rubber having a? surface to bear on the heel portion of the shoe'sole, fastening elements on the shoe sole, a-reinforcing and stiffeningf-plate resting on said surface of the 1 inner section and provided with means to engage the fastening means on the shoe sole, and connecting elements extending between the heel sections and attached to the plate and-to the outer heel section and exibly connecting the heel sections together.

10. In a cushionedheel for shoes, and in combination with a shoe sole having a heel surface of convex form, a cushioned heely adapted to be attached to the heel` surface of the sole comprisjing anouter section of comparatively hard rubber, an inner section of comparatively soft cushioning rubber having a concaved surface to bear on the'heel surface of the shoe sole and extend- .ing on an arc of greater-'radial than the convex l, surface, fastening elements on the shoe sole, fastening means including a stiffening member resting on said surface of the inner section and provided with means to lengage the fastening means on the'shoe sole and cooperating ,therewith to force the heel against` the heel surface of the sole to flatten lout the concaved surface of the inner heel section to conformto the heel surface of the sole, and connecting velements extending between the heel sectionsy and attached tothe plate and ltogthe outer heel vsection and viexibly connecting thepheel sections together. v

1l. In a cushioned heel for shoes, and in combination with a shoe sole having a heel portion,

4a cushioned heel adapted'tobe attached .to the heel: portion of-the sole `comprising an outer section of comparatively hard rubber, an inner section of comparatively soft cushioning rubber having a surface to bear on the heelportion of the shoesole, fasteningelements on the shoe sole,

a reinforcing and stiening ,plate resting on said,

surface ofthe inner section and provided with fastening elements to engage Athe fastening elements on the shoe sole, 'and connecting elements extending betweenthe heel sections and attached to th'e plate and to the outer heel section and nexibly connecting the heel sections together.

12.In a cushioned heel for shoes, and in .combination with a shoe sole having a heel portion, a

cushioned heel adapted to be attached to the heel VWILLIAM ELBERT STOUT. 

